Tuesday, October 28, 2014

6 Pests That Can Wreak Havoc On Your Coop

6 Pests That Can Wreak Havoc On Your Coop (And How to Banish Them Naturally!)

Watch carefully for signs that mites, ticks and other nuisances are at
work in the coop, and take immediate action to get rid of them for good.

By Audrey Pavia

Although your chickens may be the darlings of your farm, once a pest invasion strikes the coop,
nurturing them back to health can be a headache. Chickens are keen at
hiding signs of weakness, so you might not notice right away if they’re
being attacked by biting lice, mites or flies. It’s important to take
careful notice of signs that these poultry pests are at work and take
measures to keep them and other chicken threats out of the coop. Here
are six of the most common coop pests and natural ways to keep them at
bay.

1. Ticks
A species of bloodsucking anthropod, Argas persicus, commonly
known as the poultry tick or fowl tick, can discretely feed on your
chickens. You’ll likely discover these pests by taking a close look at
your coop—ticks hide in the crevices of the coop structure and crawl out
at night to feed. Although it’s difficult to see ticks on your
chickens, you’ll get a clue to the presence of these arachnids when you
notice your chickens are reluctant to go inside the coop at night and
seem agitated when they try to roost.Treatment: To minimize the risk of ticks in the
coop, caulk the crevices, which is where ticks hide and breed. If ticks
have already taken up residence, use a knife to scrape out the ticks
from every crevice and hose out the entire coop. Once the coop is dry,
you can then fill all crevices with caulk.

2. Mites & Lice
Northern fowl mites (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) and chicken mites (Dermanyssus gallinae)
can infest chicken coops, making your birds’ lives miserable. Like
poultry ticks, they hide in dark coop crevices during the day and come
out to feast on the blood of the chickens at night. They can cause
chickens to stop laying eggs and to scratch and over-preen. You can see
these tiny insects crawling around if you examine your chickens at night
while they’re roosting.Treatment: If your coop has been infested with mites or lice,
scrub out the coop with a 3-to-1 water-to-bleach solution. Scrub coop
crevices using a toothbrush, and dust the coop (and your chickens!) with
food-grade diatomaceous earth.
Give your chickens a tub with fine dirt or dust sprinkled with some of
the DE so they can self-treat with therapeutic dust baths. In the case
of a severe infestation, a vet may need to prescribe a medication, such
as oral ivermectin.

3. RodentsMice and rats
like to visit chicken coops and help themselves to the food. Lured by
chicken feed, scratch and other chicken treats, rodents will leave their
droppings behind and contribute to unsanitary conditions in your coop.
They might even bring mites along, which can infest your chickens.Treatment: Rodents are most active at night, so
remove scratch and pelleted food in the evening and put it back in the
morning. Surround your coop with tight wire mesh, attached to the frame,
so mice and rats cannot squeeze through. If you already have chicken
wire on your coop, reinforce it by putting the smaller mesh overtop.

4. Flies
House and stable flies are the most common fly pests
to invade your coop. Attracted by fresh feces, they can cause terrible
damage to chickens with open sores, so chickens that are being bullied
and have missing feathers and wounds are most susceptible. Some flies
even lay eggs on chicken’s vents if the chicken has diarrhea.Treatment: It’s easy to keep flies at bay by cleaning your coop
regularly and changing the bedding often. Monitor the health of your
chickens, and intervene if one or more chickens are being pecked at
repeatedly. Watch for chronic diarrhea, and treat with the help of a
poultry vet. Practice natural fly control on your property by
eliminating damp areas where flies breed, and by using sticky fly traps
near the coop.

5. Ants
If you like to give your chickens fresh food, you’ve probably discovered
ants in your coop. These busy scavengers are experts at locating fresh
produce, no matter where it is. Ants are also drawn to broken eggs, and
will swarm a coop not long after an egg breaks. While ants can’t harm a
healthy chicken, young chicks or sick or injured birds can become
victims of biting ants.Treatment: To prevent ants, remove uneaten fresh
food after the chickens walk away from it and clean up any broken eggs
right away. If you find ants swarming in your coop, spray them with an
all-natural kitchen cleanser or a 1-to-1 vinegar-water solution. This
will kill the ants without harming your birds.

6. Predators
The deadliest pests to invade a coop, predators can decimate a flock. If domestic dogs and cats, coyotes, raccoons, or even bobcats find their way into your coop, your chickens can be seriously injured or killed.Treatment: The best way to keep predators out of
your coop is to ensure it’s secure. The coop’s mesh wire should be no
larger than 1-by-1-inch and should be securely fasted to a wood or metal
frame. Dogs and coyotes will try to dig under the coop to gain access,
so a cement or attached wooden floor is essential to keep your flock
safe. You can also bury mesh or wood to deter digging predators, but it
needs to be at least 1 foot deep. Raccoons are dexterous and will open
latches. Make sure doors are raccoon-safe by using a carabineer to
secure them.

About the Author: Audrey Pavia is a frequent contributor to Hobby Farms magazine. She keeps a flock of bantam chickens at her home in Norco, Calif.

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